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Nursing Considerations for Traumatic Geriatric Orthopedic Injuries

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Geriatric Trauma and Acute Care Surgery

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Abstract

Traumatic orthopedic fractures in the elderly population can cause significant morbidity and mortality. The most common mechanism of injury for elderly patients with orthopedic fracture is a fall from standing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one out of five falls results in serious injury including fracture or traumatic brain injury. In the elderly population, over 250,000 patients are hospitalized each year because of hip fractures (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2015. Important facts about falls. http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html. Accessed 9 Apr 2016; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2015. Costs of falls among older adults. http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/fallcost.html. Accessed 9 Apr 2016; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2015. Stopping elderly accidents, deaths and injuries. http://www.cdc.gov/steadi/materials.html. Accessed 9 Apr 2016). In 2013, direct medical cost for treatment of hip fractures was approximately $34 billion dollars (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2015. Important facts about falls. http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html. Accessed 9 Apr 2016; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2015. Costs of falls among older adults. http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/fallcost.html. Accessed 9 Apr 2016; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2015. Stopping elderly accidents, deaths and injuries. http://www.cdc.gov/steadi/materials.html. Accessed 9 Apr 2016). In this injured population, it is important to provide evidence-based, expedited care to decrease complications and lengthy hospital stays which can ultimately cause severe functional decline and possibly death. Nursing measures to decrease the incidence of complications and shorten hospital length of stay should be implemented in all geriatric trauma fractures, whether operative or nonoperative.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Trauma Services, John Peter Smith Health Network, Fort Worth, TX, 76104, USA

    Elizabeth L. Price R.N., M.S.N., A.C.N.S.-B.C.

  2. Department of Surgery, John Peter Smith Health Network, Fort Worth, TX, 76104, USA

    Rajesh R. Gandhi M.D., Ph.D. & Therese M. Duane M.D., M.B.A

Authors
  1. Elizabeth L. Price R.N., M.S.N., A.C.N.S.-B.C.
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  2. Rajesh R. Gandhi M.D., Ph.D.
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  3. Therese M. Duane M.D., M.B.A
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elizabeth L. Price R.N., M.S.N., A.C.N.S.-B.C. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Allegheny General Hospital, Former Director of trauma, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    Aurelio Rodriguez

  2. Suite 202, Lehigh Valley Health Network Suite 202, Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA

    Robert. D Barraco

  3. Virginia Commonwealth University, RICHMOND, Virginia, USA

    Rao R. Ivatury

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Price, E.L., Gandhi, R.R., Duane, T.M. (2018). Nursing Considerations for Traumatic Geriatric Orthopedic Injuries. In: Rodriguez, A., Barraco, R., Ivatury, R. (eds) Geriatric Trauma and Acute Care Surgery . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57403-5_49

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57403-5_49

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-57402-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-57403-5

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